Getting Back from SE Asia

practical: bluewater cruising Stuart and Nanette (right) are renuited with their yacht in Mooloolaba. Getting to SE Asia is usually relatively easy because of the SE trade winds, but getting back can be another kettle of fish entirely. David Bowden shares his observations after having researched all the options and put his preferred one to the test. Getting back from SE Asia Getting back from South East Asia started from the north tip of Borneo, can be a daunting thought sufficient motored (mostly) through Indonesian to put cruisers off from even thinking waters over the top of PNG and via about heading out to this adventurous the Louisiades to Townsville. This trip cruising ground. The passage from was horrible with strong headwinds, Australia to Thailand has been well adverse currents, big seas, storms along recorded by many writers. The west- the PNG coast and not a sailing angle bound trip can be completed in the until approaching the Louisiades. winter months by joining the popular Another yacht which was not making Sail Indonesia and Sail Malaysia Rallies much progress on the leg Saumlaki but stories of the return to Australia are to Gove, ended up in Darwin from few and far between. This is the story where it was trucked to Brisbane. of one way to return to the east coast Another yacht travelled via Irian Java of Australia from SE Asia but more to Thursday Island and noted very specifically East Malaysia or Borneo, as difficult wind and seas approaching it is commonly referred to by the locals. Torres Strait. A very experienced yachtie reported using his engine for 2010 experience 1500 hours on the trip Kota Kinabalu In 2010 about 10 yachts returned from (KK) to Brisbane. We had also planned South East Asia by several routes and to make the trip back from Borneo few, if any of these, were enjoyable. a bit in later in 2010, so we tracked There was never a shortage of fresh food! For example in August, six yachts these yacht movements and sought 50 November 2011 practical: bluewater cruising Owner Stuart enjoying a beautiful sunset on Truest Passion on an earlier cruise. information on their sailing conditions. cyclone season which was forecast southwest from KK) and together with Because we thought we were too late to be bad. Paul and Judy flew to KK to start the to make our run starting in September, An affirmative reply within 12 hours delivery preparations. we changed our mind and planned on a resulted in our cancelling the Philippine cruise to the Philippines instead. cruise (we had already cleared customs Well set up and were departing Malaysian waters) Truest Passion is a Seawind 1160 Change in plans and returning to KK to look over his and is very well set up by Stuart and Then our plans changed dramatically as yacht and start preparing for the Nanette (CH June 2006 has much of the yachting plans often do. A good friend, voyage. Because the trip was expected background on Stuart’s influence on Stuart Simpson, was diagnosed with to be mostly continuous motor-sailing the Seawind 1160) so it was a matter of cancer and had to leave his catamaran with long passages, I contacted a loading fuel, provisions, checking all in Kota Kinabalu while he and Nanette few colleagues to see if any were equipment, scrubbing the hulls, getting flew to Brisbane for extended oncology interested in joining the trip to share to know the systems and clearing out treatment. As things progressed and the watches. Fortunately Paul and Judy of the marina. Stuart had so many delivery options began to look pretty from Meridian of Sydney accepted the rope clutches and tweekers (he is a grim, I offered to bring his yacht back. offer. They had sailed with Stuart and perfectionist) that we used a whiteout It occurred to me that by moving Nanette on their catamaran for the pen to mark all of them so that finding quickly (eg planning on motor-sailing five-day Borneo International Yacht the right one in the middle of the night with few stops) via a more direct track Challenge from Miri to KK, so had some was simplified. to Gove (rather than north of PNG knowledge of how things worked. We Our plan was to day-hop round the where our colleagues were having such put our catamaran This Way Up in the north tip of Borneo to the east coast a rough passage) we could beat the Miri Marina (about three days’ sail where we would clear Malaysian November 2011 51 practical: bluewater cruising BELOW: Dutch relics river mouths we were constantly are everywhere on changing heading to avoid them. Banda. This cannon overlooked the town Planned route and nearby plantations. Our planned route through Indonesian waters now required several passages of about 300-400nm each. We carried a total of 520 litres of diesel (400 internal and 120 in jerrys) and were expecting to motor-sail at just over seven knots on one motor using 2.3 litres per hour which gave us a theoretical max range over 1000nm. The figures were pretty good, but we did not always maintain the 7+ kts (SOG) because of wind, sea and current which at times can be fierce, eg more than three knots in straits or 1.5 against for days at a time. Fuel was obtained from service A jar of nutmeg and packets of other goodies were a present in Banda. stations because the fuel available at the waterfront from drums and other customs at Sandakan for Gove and not This was very pleasant, covering about sources was easier to source but was clear into Indonesia. We had no time to 50nm a day across the top of Borneo more expensive and of doubtful quality. apply for an Indonesian Cruising Permit but quite close to Philippine waters At each town it was quite an experience (CAIT) or obtain visas. However, with where tensions do exist and pirate to head off with a couple of jerrys a letter of authority from Stuart which incidents are more likely to occur. riding on the back of a small motor bike outlined the reason for the passage and Insurance companies do not like yachts looking for the nearest servo. It was a appointing me as master, we planned a entering the Sulu Sea. The watermaker good way to meet the locals! Once this direct route through Indonesian waters performance was important because initial reconnaissance was successfully with minimum stops claiming a “right I wished to keep just enough water completed, follow-up runs using a bemo of innocent passage” if challenged. on board to get us to each destination (taxi) with all jerrys was easy. While A study of the latest BOM Interactive without having the weight penalties We gave this fisherman supplies Wind forecasts for that area suggested of full tanks. Catamarans going to more than 100nm from land. light winds until approaching Gove. windward do better if they are light and We departed KK on October 20. Truest Passion was in cruising mode, Our decision not to apply for a CAIT i.e. loaded. At Sandakan we completed helped avoid wasting time in port clearances and final provisioning. clearances. We were never challenged There is always an enormous by authorities to show documentation. amount of debris floating in these During our stops and while getting fuel waters (plastic bags, bottles, I was often asked where I was from. My polystyrene, branches, wood etc) but response of “Australia” resulted in big logs are a big issue. In Borneo heavy grins and replies of “good country” etc. rains in the upper reaches of the numerous large rivers cause flooding Into the grove and the logs float out to become During the first few days out of KK we hazards for yachts. We maintained settled very comfortably into Truest a log watch at all times although the Passion, proved its systems and enjoyed frequency of sightings decreased the one another’s company and the scenery. further we were from Borneo. Near 52 November 2011 practical: bluewater cruising “ It occurred to me that by moving quickly (eg planning WITH THE BENEFIT on motor-sailing with few stops) via a more direct track OF HINDSIGHT to Gove (rather than north of PNG where our colleagues The following generalisations sum were having such a rough passage) we could beat the up my findings for these passages. cyclone season which was forecast to be bad” 1. Be prepared to motor I do not believe it is possible to sail without motoring through Indonesia on that route at that time because the winds are just too light. The Gulf this was occurring some of the crew Pirates and other hazards and the north Queensland coast went to the fresh markets for vegetables We were not concerned about pirates are a different case. The alternative and other supplies which are plentiful although one afternoon we were route over the top of PNG which was and cheap. The only ATMs after unexpectedly approached from so bad in 2010 may be suitable in Sandakan were in Bitung (NE tip of the stern by three small motorised other years, but there are sufficient Sulawesi), and then it was only one bank outrigger canoes when we were other factors which would cause that would work with a Cirrus card and between Indonesia and the Philippines us to avoid PNG — fuel can hard to there were withdrawal limits. So lots of and more than 100nm from any land.

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